Lesson 67 · شُكْرًا
Thank you, very much: the verb’s own noun
Arabic can follow a verb with its own verbal noun (lesson 47) ending in ـًا. On its own it adds emphasis: فَرِحْتُ فَرَحًا (I was really glad). With an adjective it tells you how: فَرِحْتُ فَرَحًا كَبِيرًا (I was overjoyed). This is called الْمَفْعُولُ الْمُطْلَقُ.
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Examples
نِمْتُ نَوْمًا عَمِيقًاnimtu nawman ʿamiiqanI slept deeply.
فَرِحْنَا فَرَحًا كَبِيرًاfariḥnaa faraḥan kabiiranWe were overjoyed.
مَشَى مَشْيًا سَرِيعًاmashaa mashyan sariiʿanHe walked quickly.
سَجَدَ الْمُصَلِّي سَجْدَتَيْنِsajada l-muṣallii sajdatayniThe worshipper made two prostrations.
شُكْرًا جَزِيلًاshukran jaziilanThank you very much.
هٰذَا جَمِيلٌ جِدًّاhaadhaa jamiilun jiddanThis is very beautiful.
Key points
- Three uses: emphasis, kind and number. نَامَ نَوْمًا عَمِيقًا (he slept a deep sleep) · سَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ (he made two prostrations) · جَلَسَ جُلُوسَ الْمُعَلِّمِ (he sat the way a teacher sits).
- A word like كَثِيرًا or قَلِيلًا can stand in for it: شَكَرْتُهُ كَثِيرًا (I thanked him a lot).
- Many everyday words are really this pattern with the verb left out: شُكْرًا thanks · عَفْوًا sorry, you’re welcome · جِدًّا very · حَقًّا truly · سَمْعًا وَطَاعَةً I hear and obey.
Practice
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Say “I studied seriously.” (دِرَاسَةً جَادَّةً)
دَرَسْتُ دِرَاسَةً جَادَّةً darastu diraasatan jaaddatan
Say “He ran fast.” (جَرَى)
جَرَى جَرْيًا سَرِيعًا jaraa jaryan sariiʿan
How do you say “very” in Arabic?
جِدًّا jiddan